1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a structure to make a protector body provided in a sliding door of, for example, a motor vehicle accommodate a power feeding wiring harness (a circuit assembly) extending from a vehicle body side and, more particularly, to a door-use feed protector and a circuit assembly arranging structure using the same wherein a wiring harness outside the protector body can also be protected in the sliding door.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a sliding door of a motor vehicle, various auxiliaries such as a powerwindow unit, a door lock unit, a speaker, an automatic door opening-and-closing unit are installed. For supplying power current or signal current to the auxiliaries from a battery carried on a vehicle body regardless of a opening-and-closing state of the sliding door, a circuit assembly such as a wiring harness (electric wires) or a cabtire cable is arranged on the sliding door from the vehicle body side.
The circuit assembly is received in a curved state in the protector provided on the sliding door made of synthetic resin so that a slack of the circuit assembly caused by the opening or closing of the sliding door can be absorbed. Here, it has been suggested that the circuit assembly is upwardly energized by an elastic member such as a flat spring to absorb the slack in the protector.
Simultaneously, for a turning door of a sedan, a structure to accommodate the circuit assembly such as the wiring harness in a protector provided on the door in a curved state has been suggested.
With respect to the above prior art, however, a circuit assembly or object such as an electric wire outside the protector in the sliding door is likely to interferes with a panel, structures, or auxiliaries in the sliding door, whereby the circuit assembly would be worn away or broken due to the vibration of a vehicle.
And also, in the turning door, when a protector for protecting the circuit assembly is provided in the door, the similar problem exists.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a door-use feed protector and a circuit assembly arranging structure using the same wherein an interference between a circuit assembly, such as an electric wire or a wiring harness, arranged outside the protector and other outside objects can be prevented.
In order to achieve the above object, as a first aspect of the present invention, a door-use feed protector comprises: a protector body to accommodate a circuit assembly in a curved state in a door; and a circuit assembly holding portion provided on an outer wall of the protector body so as to hold a portion of the circuit assembly outside the protector body.
As a second aspect of the present invention, based on the first aspect, the circuit assembly holding portion is an auxiliary protector to receive the circuit assembly.
As a third aspect of the present invention, based on the second aspect, the auxiliary protector has at least a pair of holding walls facing each other.
As a fourth aspect of the present invention, based on the second aspect, the auxiliary protector is a holding wall having a hook-shaped cross-section.
As a fifth aspect of the present invention, based on the third aspect, the holding wall is provided with a resilient holding piece or an engagable cover for preventing the circuit assembly from protruding.
As a sixth aspect of the present invention, based on any one of the third to fifth aspects, the holding wall forms a circuit assembly insertion opening having a width smaller than a diameter of the circuit assembly.
As a seventh aspect of the present invention, a circuit assembly arranging structure using a door-use feed protector is characterized in that; a circuit assembly is introduced in the protector body of the door-use feed protector with any one of the first to eighth aspects, and a portion of the circuit assembly led out of the protector body is held by the circuit assembly holding portion and is arranged toward an auxiliary in a door.
As an eighth aspect of the present invention, based on the seventh aspect, the door is a sliding door of a motor vehicle.
According to the above-described structures of the present invention, the following advantages are provided.
(1) According to the first aspect of the invention, because a portion of the circuit assembly outside the protector body is held by the circuit assembly holding portion, the portion outside the protector body does not interfere with the structures or the auxiliaries in the door. Therefore, wear or breakage of the circuit assembly is prevented, and reliability of the power feeding from a vehicle body to the door is improved. Because the circuit assembly can be arranged in the circuit assembly holding portion without detouring around the protector body, the total length of the circuit assembly is shortened, thereby attaining a space saving, a cost reduction, and a light-weighing.
(2) According to the second aspect of the invention, because a portion of the circuit assembly outside the protector body is accommodated in the auxiliary protector, the portion outside the protector body does not interfere with the structures or the auxiliaries in the door. Therefore, wear or breakage of the circuit assembly is prevented, and reliability of the power feeding from a vehicle body to the door is improved. Because the circuit assembly can be arranged in the auxiliary protector without detouring around the protector body, the total length of the circuit assembly is shortened, thereby attaining space saving, cost reduction, and light-weighing. Because the rigidity of the protector body is enhanced by the auxiliary protector, bending or deformation of the outer wall of the protector body is prevented. Therefore, the circuit assembly can smoothly move in the protector body when the door is opened or closed.
(3) According to the third aspect of the invention, because a portion of the circuit assembly outside the protector body is accommodated between the pair of holding walls, for example, in a horizontal direction, the portion can be held among the holding walls and a door panel or a door trim without protruding therefrom. Therefore, the structure of the auxiliary protector is simplified, and the cost of the protector is reduced.
(4) According to the fourth aspect of the invention, because the circuit assembly can be stably placed in the hook-shaped holding wall due to the weight of the circuit assembly, the structure of the auxiliary protector is simplified and the cost is reduced.
(5) According to the fifth aspect of the invention, because the circuit assembly in the auxiliary protector can be more securely held by the holding piece or the cover, protrusion of the circuit assembly, caused by vibration of a vehicle or the like, can be securely prevented.
(6) According to the sixth aspect of the invention, because the circuit assembly insertion opening is widened by outwardly bending the holding wall, the circuit assembly can be easily inserted into the circuit assembly holding assembly. Therefore, insertion workability of the circuit assembly is improved. Because the holding wall resiles to the original position, protrusion of the circuit assembly is prevented.
(7) According to the seventh aspect of the invention, because a portion of the power feeding circuit assembly having passed through the protector body can be arranged toward the auxiliaries in the door with a shortest distance, the length of the circuit assembly can be shortened, thereby attaining a space saving, a cost reduction, and a light-weighing. Wear or breakage of the circuit assembly is prevented, and reliability of the power feeding from a vehicle body to the door is improved.
(8) According to the eighth aspect of the invention, because a slack of the circuit assembly due to the opening-and-closing of the sliding door is absorbed in the protector body, a sandwiching of the circuit assembly between the sliding door and a vehicle body and breakage caused by the sandwiching is prevented. Therefore, feeding reliability of the circuit assembly along the protector body and the circuit assembly holding portion is improved.
The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.